{"id":81076,"date":"2026-09-12T05:21:52","date_gmt":"2026-09-12T09:21:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/overcentral.com\/en\/?p=81076"},"modified":"2026-09-12T05:21:52","modified_gmt":"2026-09-12T09:21:52","slug":"amazon-eu-reach-decline-81076","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/overcentral.com\/en\/amazon-eu-reach-decline-81076\/","title":{"rendered":"Amazon’s EU Reach Drops to 193.9M Monthly Recipients"},"content":{"rendered":"

Amazon\u2019s reported user base across the European Union has contracted slightly during the first half of 2026, with the company now reaching an average of 193.9 million monthly recipients of its shopping services. This marks a decline from the 195.2 million average recorded in the second half of 2025, according to data recently submitted to the European Commission under the Digital Services Act<\/a> (DSA). The metric, formally defined as the \u201caverage monthly active recipients\u201d (AMARs) of the Amazon store, captures the number of unique users who interact with the platform\u2019s shopping functionality each month, regardless of whether they complete a purchase. While the overall drop is modest, a closer examination of the country-level data reveals a nuanced picture\u2014one in which Amazon\u2019s reach is contracting in its largest and most mature markets but expanding in smaller, often newer territories where it is aggressively investing to compete with entrenched local players.<\/p>\n

German and French Markets Drive the Overall Decline in Amazon\u2019s EU Reach<\/h2>\n

The decline in Amazon\u2019s aggregate AMARs across the EU is almost entirely attributable to shifts in its two most significant European markets<\/a>. Germany, which remains Amazon\u2019s largest European market both by sales volume and active user base, reported 52.8 million average monthly active recipients for the first half of 2026. This represents a decline of 1.7 percent from the 53.7 million reported in the second half of 2025. France, the company\u2019s second-largest market, experienced an even sharper contraction, falling by 4.0 percent to 38.8 million monthly recipients from 40.4 million. Together, these two countries account for nearly half of Amazon\u2019s total EU usage base, and their combined reduction of over 1.7 million monthly recipients more than accounts for the headline decline of 1.3 million across the entire region.<\/p>\n

The decreases are not dramatic enough to suggest any structural crisis for Amazon\u2019s European operations. A 1.7 percent quarterly fluctuation in Germany and a 4.0 percent reduction in France fall into a range that could be explained by seasonal factors, promotional calendar variations, or natural churn. Yet, given that these are mature, high-penetration markets where Amazon has long been the dominant force in e-commerce, the lack of user growth is noteworthy. In the context of general post-pandemic normalization of online shopping behavior, Amazon\u2019s ability to maintain or grow its user base in saturated markets such as Germany and France has become increasingly contingent on offering services that transcend its core retail offering. The company faces specific challenges: consumers in these markets have more established relationships with local retailers, a deep culturally ingrained preference for multi-channel shopping, and strong bargaining power regarding delivery and return expectations.<\/p>\n

Italy and Spain Show Relative Stability as User Bases Edge Lower<\/h2>\n

Italy and Spain, Amazon\u2019s third and fourth largest EU markets, recorded relatively more stable figures. Italy posted 38.1 million average monthly recipients in the first half of 2026, nearly unchanged from the previous reporting period, with a minuscule decline of only 0.1 percent. This near-flat performance effectively means Amazon is holding its ground in a market where it faces fierce competition from local players and newly established express delivery services. In Spain, the number of active monthly recipients edged down by 1.0 percent to 27.9 million, a decline that is statistically marginal in a country of over 47 million people. Together, these two markets contribute nearly 66 million monthly active recipients to Amazon\u2019s total, demonstrating that while growth has plateaued, a large and relatively stable base of users continues to trust the platform for their shopping needs.<\/p>\n

This plateauing at a high level is typical of a maturing e-commerce market such as Italy and Spain, where adoption rates have already penetrated a significant share of the internet-savvy population. In Italy, for example, Amazon has been the leading e-commerce platform for years, but users are increasingly splitting their spending between Amazon, established local discounters, and emerging social commerce channels. The numbers suggest that Amazon\u2019s major growth engine in Europe has moved away from those countries and is now concentrated in specific, smaller markets where it is building a new user base.<\/p>\n

Netherlands: The Only Major EU Market Where Amazon Grows<\/h2>\n

Perhaps the most striking counterpoint to the dominant narrative of decline is the Netherlands. Among Amazon\u2019s top five European markets, it is the only one where reach increased in the first half of 2026 compared to the previous six-month period. The company recorded 6.6 million monthly active recipients, up 4.0 percent from the second half of 2025. This is a modest absolute number\u2014an addition of approximately 250,000 users\u2014but it signals momentum in a market that is critical for Amazon\u2019s long-term European strategy.<\/p>\n

The Dutch market is particularly instructive example because it demonstrates how Amazon is deploying significant financial resources to challenge a formidable local incumbent. While Bol has not publicly disclosed recent total users, it remains the absolute market leader in the Netherlands. ECDB data shows that Amazon\u2019s sales in the Netherlands increased by 2.7 percent last year, but this was not enough to close the gap with Bol. In fact, the gap appears to have widened slightly. Amazon\u2019s commitment to the Dutch market is underscored by its announcement of a 1.4 billion euro investment over three years, specifically intended to narrow the distance from Bol in the logistics and selection dimensions. The increase of 250,000 monthly active users in this reporting period may represent early returns from that aggressive investment strategy.<\/p>\n

Amazon European Union Monthly Active Users by Country: H1 2026 vs. H2 2025<\/h2>\n

The following table summarizes the raw data submitted by Amazon to the European Commission for the five largest EU markets. The change column<\/strong> reflects a percentage comparison between the first half of 2026 (H1 2026<\/a>) and the second half of 2025 (H2 2025).<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
EU Ranking<\/th>\nCountry<\/th>\nAMARs H1 2026 (millions)<\/th>\nChange vs. H2 2025 (%)<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n
1<\/td>\nGermany<\/td>\n52.8<\/td>\n-1.7<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
2<\/td>\nFrance<\/td>\n38.8<\/td>\n-4.0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
3<\/td>\nItaly<\/td>\n38.1<\/td>\n-0.1<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
4<\/td>\nSpain<\/td>\n27.9<\/td>\n-1.0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
5<\/td>\nNetherlands<\/td>\n6.6<\/td>\n+4.0<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

Nordic Markets Spark Growth as Amazon Gains Ground in Denmark and Sweden<\/h2>\n

Outside the top five, the most explosive user growth came from the Nordic region, where Amazon has invested heavily in logistics and fulfillment infrastructure over the last few years. Denmark recorded the most growth among all EU countries during the reporting period, with the number of monthly active recipients skyrocketing by 18.4 percent. Sweden was not far behind, with a 13.9 percent surge. Ireland also recorded a double-digit increase of 12.1 percent. These are substantial jumps that effectively double the base in those markets over a two-year average, indicating strong user adoption.<\/p>\n

The Nordic acceleration is strategically noteworthy because these are markets with notoriously high e-commerce penetration, high disposable incomes, and strong local competitors. Denmark, for example, is a market where local players have held a commanding share. Amazon\u2019s entry and expansion strategy there appears to be working, albeit from a relatively small base. The fact that Amazon is growing its user base at double-digit in these markets suggests that its business decisions to localize logistics and integrate fast delivery are resonating with consumers. This is likely a mix of awareness campaigns, partnerships with local suppliers, and fulfillment capabilities that shorten delivery times\u2014a critical advantage in logistics-intensive northern Europe.<\/p>\n

Greece: The Steepest Decline<\/h3>\n

At the opposite end, Greece recorded the most severe user loss among any EU country, with Amazon\u2019s reach declining by 20.2% in the first half of 2026. This is a severe drop, but not without context. The Greek e-commerce market is dominated by Skroutz, a local price comparison platform and marketplace that was recently acquired by Blackstone. Skroutz\u2019s extremely deep local integration and market share effectively make it very difficult for external platform to gain a foothold. Amazon\u2019s retreat in Greece likely reflects a strategic decision to reduce expenditures in a region where the return on investment for user acquisition is not meeting the company\u2019s with competitive returns seen in other European markets.<\/p>\n

What Are AMARs? The Digital Services Act Metric Explained<\/h2>\n

A critical piece to accurately interpreting this data lies in understanding exactly what metric is being reported. AMARs stands for \u201cAverage Monthly Active Recipients of the Service,\u201d a specific unit defined by the European Commission\u2019s Digital Services Act.<\/p>\n

Within e-commerce, the DSA definition of a \u201crecipient of the service\u201d does not<\/a> merely identify the customer bases. It captures any user who has interacted with the Amazon marketplace front-end website or app during the month, regardless of whether they completed a purchase, left a review, or simply browsed a product page. The DSA requires very large online platforms to compute the average of these numbers over a six-month reporting period. So, when Amazon reports a total of 193.9 million monthly recipients, it is reporting the average number of unique individuals in per month who opened the Amazon website or app\u2014an incredibly high-level engagement metric.<\/p>\n

This is critical for context because these are not necessarily buyers. A user who visited Amazon once in February to check account details and then returned in May to do one search is counted toward the 193.9 million average. The AMARs number is a measure of reach and platform stickiness\u2014not specific revenue. This explains why a decrease in receipts of 1.3 million might not correlate to a directly proportional decrease in overall revenue or order volume. Amazon\u2019s strategy to retain users through Prime Video, Amazon Music, and integrated features may keep the number high even during a period where transactions are actually flat or slightly declining. The DSA metric is more of a signal for overall platforms of service\u2019s reach, which influences how the companies must comply with the DSA (including product safety, advertising transparency, and content moderation regulations that apply to the larger the user base).<\/p>\n

Changes in the Regulatory Landscape: Why Reporting Consistency Only Just Exists<\/h2>\n

One of the fundamental limitations of analyzing these data cross-years can only be done with the two most recent reports. Amazon began submitting these transparency reports to the European Commission in 2023 as required under the Digital Services Act. However, the, the methodology for calculating AMARs was only formally harmonized across all reporting platforms last year. This lack of early data compatibility means that attempting to compare the H1 2026 figure with earlier historical data (e.g., 2024 or 2023) would invite and margin of errors. With the latest reporting period (H2 2025) and this one (H1 2026) can now be properly compared with a single-threaded methodology. This is a significant step forward in transparency and consistency for the regulators, but it also means that any longer-term trend lines we can construct remain speculative outside the current period.<\/p>\n

For analysts and businesses evaluating Amazon 2030 strategy, harmonization ensures a clean and consistent baseline. Any moderate decline or expansion from the current 194 million user base will speak directly to the company\u2019s ability to sustain its platform in the EU as regulations and market conditions mature.<\/p>\n

Strategic Implications: Amazon\u2019s European Battle for User Retention<\/h2>\n

The overall numbers indicate a evaporation of low-hanging user growth that Amazon enjoyed during the opening phase of its European expansion. For the company, which generates around 25% of its global sales from Europe, the slowdown in user growth is a natural consequence of saturation. It is nearly irrelevant how many people could possibly be interested in online shopping; in the developed markets, they already are. The challenge is loyalty: <\/p>\n

The Dutch market presents the clearest strategic template. where Amazon is leaning into high-capital investments, including a 1.4 billion euro commitment to logistics and last-mile delivery. A user growth of 2.7 in sales growth with a actual 1.4 billion backing shows how Amazon is willing to operate profit sacrifice to gain. If Amazon can prove its ability to break into a countrythink like a Netherlands that is steadfastly loyal to a local player (Bol), it is likely that this model will be used in other smaller EU and markets where similar dynamics exist\u2014just like the Nordics. That the Nordic countries are producing huge growth increases is a direct payoff of that could build upon.<\/p>\n

For market analysts, the lack of user growth should be not be read as a weakness of Amazon\u2019s platform as a whole, but evidence that in saturated market, growth must be engineered through new integrated value propositions\u2014like Amazon\u2019s new AI assistant, faster delivery loyalty programs, and expanded product categories that specifically address local preferences. The fact that Amazon\u2019s overall EU reach reduction has reversed to a near-struggle narrative while its ability to maintain 194 million EU users quarter after quarter with only a 1.9 million slip is arguably an impressive retention figure when degrowth is happening across the broader e-commerce industry. Amazon now has seven to nine distinct markets of high-trust activity across Europe. The investment in the Netherlands and the Nordic markets is showing early signs of persistence. For Amazon to preserve its place in the future of EU e-commerce, it must keep these smaller, dynamic performance improvement by nurturing the user base, just as it is currently. The data shows it is trying. And in part, it appears to be working.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Amazon\u2019s reported user base across the European Union has contracted slightly during the first half of 2026, with the company now reaching an average of 193.9 million monthly recipients of its shopping services. This marks a decline from the 195.2 million average recorded in the second half of 2025, according to data recently submitted to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":83275,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cards.overcentral.com\/cards\/en\/81076.png","fifu_image_alt":"Amazon's EU Reach Drops to 193.9M Monthly Recipients","footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-81076","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-technology"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cards.overcentral.com\/cards\/en\/81076.png","fifu_image_alt":"Amazon's EU Reach Drops to 193.9M Monthly Recipients","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/overcentral.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81076","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/overcentral.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/overcentral.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/overcentral.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/overcentral.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=81076"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/overcentral.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/81076\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/overcentral.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/83275"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/overcentral.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=81076"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/overcentral.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=81076"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/overcentral.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=81076"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}